Transport chains for moving walkways and the like commonly consist of two chain runs, each having chain links, support rollers, and chain pins which also serve as support roller axles. Stub ends of the chain pins are inserted into connecting tubes which thus join the chain runs together at transverse spaced intervals.
A connecting device for such transport chains can be produced in various ways. One common practice consists of drilling a hole through the connecting tube and the axle stub when the axle stub is pushed in, through which hole, for example, a tightening pin is then driven. This drilling and pinning requires a relatively large amount of costly manual work, equally for disassembly in the case of possible repairs.
EP 0 606 990 describes and shows two variants of a connecting device, in which in the first variant the connecting tube has an inner annular groove as well as a countersunk mouth and the pushed-in axle stub has a spring-loaded ball notching into this annular groove. In the second variant the axle stub has a spring ring in a cut groove, which, on pushing of the axle stub into the connecting tube, springs into the annular groove of the connecting tube in its end position and fixes the axle stub.
Such devices do not permit the disassembly or removal of the axle and axle stub if the depth of penetration of the spring-loaded ball or the spring ring is greater than half the diameter thereof. If the depth of penetration of the spring-loaded bail or the spring ring is smaller than half the diameter hereof, then the thereby reduced retaining force can make possible a lateral displacement of the axle stub in the connecting tube under the effects of vibration.
The object of the present invention resides in creating a connecting device between an axle stub of a support roller axle and the connecting tube which ensures a reliable retaining force of the support roller axle or the axle stub in the connecting tube and which enables an easy and problem-free mounting and demounting of the parts connected therewith.